In general, supplemental restraint systems perform a number of functions including acceleration sensing, signal processing and analysis, and deployment of one or more restraint devices such as frontal or side air bags or seat belt pretensioners in response to a sensed crash event. Typically, the acceleration signal is monitored to detect a potential crash event, and then filtered or integrated over the course of the crash event to produce a velocity change or .DELTA.V signal. If the .DELTA.V signal exceeds a threshold, the crash event is determined to be sufficiently severe to warrant deployment of restraints.
In general, the above considerations are utilized to gauge the severity of both front and rear impacts, the polarity of the acceleration signal being used to discriminate between the two types of impacts. However, the timing considerations differ considerably. In a frontal impact, the occupants are accelerated forward, and the usual objective is to deploy the restraints as soon as possible--that is, as soon as a crash of sufficient severity is detected. In a rear impact, on the other hand, the occupants are initially accelerated rearward against a seat back cushion, and the objective is to deploy the restraints when the rearward force on the occupants reaches a maximum.
The usual approach to deploying restraints in response to a detected rear impact is to delay deployment by a predetermined time once a rear impact of sufficient severity has been detected. In other words, the predetermined time is calibrated so that the deployment coincides as close as possible to the attainment of maximum rearward force on the occupants. However, this approach is a compromise solution, and inherently results in varying levels of performance depending on the nature of the impact. Accordingly, what is needed is a deployment control in which deployment is accurately timed for any rear impact.